"Do you take delight in doing the will of God? Or do you find it too difficult?"
Pray-As-You-Go, 8/22/19
Depends on the day, really...Tuesday, I found it too difficult! Yesterday, it was a bit easier. I look at the will of God as doing whatever we do with love and for the glory of God. Whatever our station in life, whether we are working or retired, parents or empty-nesters, volunteering or whatever-we-do, if we do it with love and offering our activity to bring glory to God, that is God's will. Thomas Merton said our desire to please God, actually pleases God, so our intention is important. Our success may not matter as much as our intention. We encounter people each day and if we encounter them with love and compassion, that's God's will. And sometimes, let's face it, it can be difficult. And God understands that. Let's go through our late-August Thursday with the intention of encountering others with love...and let's take delight in that--for that is God's will! Love, heidi
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Serve in love...
"There are those who seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge; that is curiosity.
There are those who seek knowledge to be known by others; that is vanity.
There are those who seek knowledge in order to serve; that is love."
St. Bernard of Clairvaux, as quoted in "Give Us This Day"
I wish I'd read this yesterday when I could have made good use of it! Instead, I wallowed around in the second verse, seeking knowledge to be known by others--in other words, in vain. Argh, that. We are experiencing what every other school experiences the first week; the stress of figuring it all out again. We'd settled into a rather lovely routine last year, but it was not without its growing pains either. What I need to remember is that God holds it all. God has placed us here, in this space, in this time, with these kids. All to accomplish God's will--that we serve in love. The knowledge we seek is so we can serve the best we can. No matter what we are doing, we are called to serve each other in love. We are called to cheerfully (that's a tricky part!) help each other navigate our lives on this planet. We all need each other, and God, to accomplish anything at all. So, today, as we embark on the Hump Day of the Trickiest Week Of All, let's remember what we are here to do and who we are here to serve! Love, heidi
There are those who seek knowledge to be known by others; that is vanity.
There are those who seek knowledge in order to serve; that is love."
St. Bernard of Clairvaux, as quoted in "Give Us This Day"
I wish I'd read this yesterday when I could have made good use of it! Instead, I wallowed around in the second verse, seeking knowledge to be known by others--in other words, in vain. Argh, that. We are experiencing what every other school experiences the first week; the stress of figuring it all out again. We'd settled into a rather lovely routine last year, but it was not without its growing pains either. What I need to remember is that God holds it all. God has placed us here, in this space, in this time, with these kids. All to accomplish God's will--that we serve in love. The knowledge we seek is so we can serve the best we can. No matter what we are doing, we are called to serve each other in love. We are called to cheerfully (that's a tricky part!) help each other navigate our lives on this planet. We all need each other, and God, to accomplish anything at all. So, today, as we embark on the Hump Day of the Trickiest Week Of All, let's remember what we are here to do and who we are here to serve! Love, heidi
Monday, August 19, 2019
Growth from change...
"Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth?"
Luke 12:51
As unsettling as it seems, Jesus surprised us in yesterday's Gospel by sounding sort of crabby. The division he speaks of in Luke 12:49-56 may make us uncomfortable and squirmy in the pews. But, there it is. What we learned in our sermon yesterday makes sense to me, though, as I see it played out in history. Sometimes division is necessary for growth and positive change to happen. Sometimes something disconcerting leads us to make a change in our lives--a change for the better. Jesus asks hard things of us. We can't have an encounter with Jesus and come out unchanged. And that change may come with division. As Pastor Gretchen said, unity at all costs may not always be the way of growth. One example she gave is that, nearly fifty years ago, the ELCA branch of Lutheranism decided women should be ordained. Fifty years ago! That must have brought division and discomfort, certainly. But as I listened to her powerfully reflect on the word of God, and watched her preside over the Eucharistic table, I thanked God for the division that led to THAT change. And speaking of change, after attending Immanuel Lutheran Church for over six months, I have officially become a member. Sometimes growth means change...Love, heidi
Luke 12:51
As unsettling as it seems, Jesus surprised us in yesterday's Gospel by sounding sort of crabby. The division he speaks of in Luke 12:49-56 may make us uncomfortable and squirmy in the pews. But, there it is. What we learned in our sermon yesterday makes sense to me, though, as I see it played out in history. Sometimes division is necessary for growth and positive change to happen. Sometimes something disconcerting leads us to make a change in our lives--a change for the better. Jesus asks hard things of us. We can't have an encounter with Jesus and come out unchanged. And that change may come with division. As Pastor Gretchen said, unity at all costs may not always be the way of growth. One example she gave is that, nearly fifty years ago, the ELCA branch of Lutheranism decided women should be ordained. Fifty years ago! That must have brought division and discomfort, certainly. But as I listened to her powerfully reflect on the word of God, and watched her preside over the Eucharistic table, I thanked God for the division that led to THAT change. And speaking of change, after attending Immanuel Lutheran Church for over six months, I have officially become a member. Sometimes growth means change...Love, heidi
Friday, August 16, 2019
Forever!
"Give thanks to the Lord, for God is good;
God's steadfast love endures forever."
Psalm 136
This is such a wonderful Psalm as our lives may be transitioning from summer to school. Whatever newness and uncertainty awaits us as the new school year begins (or any new phase of our lives, actually) we know that God's steadfast love will see us through. We can handle anything! God only wants good for us and God, ultimately, is the only One who knows what's good for us. Yesterday, the employees of Boise Public Schools met at CenturyLink arena to kick off the new school year. I remembered last year, how new and uncomfortable I felt, not knowing a soul amid the thousands. Yesterday was a whole different story! I feel so gifted to be working at Hawthorne and trusted with such an important task of helping these kids on their life journey. God is indeed soooo good! Today, as we go about our (possibly transitional) Friday, let's join the Psalmist and give thanks to the Lord; for God's steadfast love endures forever! Love, heidi
God's steadfast love endures forever."
Psalm 136
This is such a wonderful Psalm as our lives may be transitioning from summer to school. Whatever newness and uncertainty awaits us as the new school year begins (or any new phase of our lives, actually) we know that God's steadfast love will see us through. We can handle anything! God only wants good for us and God, ultimately, is the only One who knows what's good for us. Yesterday, the employees of Boise Public Schools met at CenturyLink arena to kick off the new school year. I remembered last year, how new and uncomfortable I felt, not knowing a soul amid the thousands. Yesterday was a whole different story! I feel so gifted to be working at Hawthorne and trusted with such an important task of helping these kids on their life journey. God is indeed soooo good! Today, as we go about our (possibly transitional) Friday, let's join the Psalmist and give thanks to the Lord; for God's steadfast love endures forever! Love, heidi
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Know that you don't know...
"'Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?' (Jesus) called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said to them, 'Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.'"
Matthew 18:1-5
Pray-As-You-Go asked the question, "What does it mean to be humble like a child?" Good one, right? I've been reflecting on how I felt I knew less and less the further along I worked in my blind rehab career. One would think the opposite would be true, really. As you work and do the job, wouldn't you feel more confident? I actually felt less confident and less sure of myself (which is one reason I chose to retire a bit early). I felt my skills were antiquated, thus, lacking, and others were able to pick up the new stuff (like the technology) and do it so much better. I knew what I didn't know. And it was humbling, to say the least. I think humility is realizing that you really don't know...you come to know that you don't know, if that makes sense. God helps us realize that and guides us, not toward knowing exactly, but being OK with not knowing. Thanks be to God, I can be OK not knowing stuff...lots of stuff. Recognizing I don't know opens me up to new learning, which I have been called to do a lot since moving to Boise and settling into a bunch of newness. Not knowing is totally OK--it keeps us humble. So today, as we go about our mid-August Tuesday, let's release some of the pressure we may feel to know it all. We can't, and it is a gift from God to enter into things with the openness and humility of a child. Love, heidi
Matthew 18:1-5
Pray-As-You-Go asked the question, "What does it mean to be humble like a child?" Good one, right? I've been reflecting on how I felt I knew less and less the further along I worked in my blind rehab career. One would think the opposite would be true, really. As you work and do the job, wouldn't you feel more confident? I actually felt less confident and less sure of myself (which is one reason I chose to retire a bit early). I felt my skills were antiquated, thus, lacking, and others were able to pick up the new stuff (like the technology) and do it so much better. I knew what I didn't know. And it was humbling, to say the least. I think humility is realizing that you really don't know...you come to know that you don't know, if that makes sense. God helps us realize that and guides us, not toward knowing exactly, but being OK with not knowing. Thanks be to God, I can be OK not knowing stuff...lots of stuff. Recognizing I don't know opens me up to new learning, which I have been called to do a lot since moving to Boise and settling into a bunch of newness. Not knowing is totally OK--it keeps us humble. So today, as we go about our mid-August Tuesday, let's release some of the pressure we may feel to know it all. We can't, and it is a gift from God to enter into things with the openness and humility of a child. Love, heidi
Monday, August 12, 2019
Treasures in travels...
"For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be."
Luke 12:34
Well, I've spent the last nearly two weeks traveling. I went hither and yon (where is that, exactly?) celebrating the treasures of my heart--friends and family within driving or flying distance. And, now that it's all over, I can honestly say--people are my treasure. Wait! ALL people? It seems like I got impatient with the people in line in front of me at airport security...so maybe not those people...but other people! The people I traveled to see. And, maybe not the people in front of me in line at Subway who ordered each little vegetable separately on one or another specific side of their sandwich while I was in a hurry to hit the highway! Maybe not those people either. But, shouldn't ALL people be a treasure to me? Each person, no matter how irritating or frustrating, is a child of God, just as my "destination" people are! There was a homeless woman on the streets of Boulder, pushing a cart and ranting and raving at anyone who looked at her. Yes, she is a daughter of God. And she is a treasure. It's easier for me to picture daughter Jeni Rose as my main treasure in Boulder, though. But the homeless woman is God's treasure to God, just as JRose is a treasure to me. It will take me a long time to process all the gifts of my travels, but I intend to do so--to unpack all the travel souvenirs I picked up along the way and see God's gift in each one. For they are the treasures of my heart. Love, heidi
Luke 12:34
Well, I've spent the last nearly two weeks traveling. I went hither and yon (where is that, exactly?) celebrating the treasures of my heart--friends and family within driving or flying distance. And, now that it's all over, I can honestly say--people are my treasure. Wait! ALL people? It seems like I got impatient with the people in line in front of me at airport security...so maybe not those people...but other people! The people I traveled to see. And, maybe not the people in front of me in line at Subway who ordered each little vegetable separately on one or another specific side of their sandwich while I was in a hurry to hit the highway! Maybe not those people either. But, shouldn't ALL people be a treasure to me? Each person, no matter how irritating or frustrating, is a child of God, just as my "destination" people are! There was a homeless woman on the streets of Boulder, pushing a cart and ranting and raving at anyone who looked at her. Yes, she is a daughter of God. And she is a treasure. It's easier for me to picture daughter Jeni Rose as my main treasure in Boulder, though. But the homeless woman is God's treasure to God, just as JRose is a treasure to me. It will take me a long time to process all the gifts of my travels, but I intend to do so--to unpack all the travel souvenirs I picked up along the way and see God's gift in each one. For they are the treasures of my heart. Love, heidi
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